Monday, October 26, 2009

I'm sorry.Can we be okay again? I will go back to the writing the happy and sometimes funny and occasionally inspiring things and you can go back to the reading and the commenting and the loving me again?

Find someone to hug you. Because if you were here with me, we would not only be watching 30 Rock from last week and eating candy pumpkins but I would also hug you. Because I am a hugger and I give exceptional hugs. (It's all my squishy padding.)

I know what you are thinking: Really Bethany? Even though lately you aren't.....so much with the words?But, I have always done it and I am one of those people who LOVE traditions and I want to stick with this one.

Sunday, October 11, 2009

It is 2:30am Sunday morning and I am avoiding sleeping. Because sleeping leads to movement into the next day. And when you find yourself dreading the "next day" you'll do what you need to do to make it arrive as slowly as possible. It's a tried and true technique of mine that never works and almost always fries me the next day.

But tonight is different because I am getting things done: I am cleaning out my DVR by watching all my saved episodes of "Melrose Place" and "Models of the Runway." See how responsible I am?!

Okay guys, here it is. (And this is an old story for some of you guys.)Back in December I got really sick. It was a flu or a virus or something but it was the sickest I had been in a long time. And while I made light of the ringing in my ears and didn't even mention the severe loss of hearing, it was all there. I was so sure it was something simple like a build up of fluid and since it was Christmas and vacations and all that, I didn't get to a doctor till the end of December who then referred me to a specialist.

The specialist diagnosed me with Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss (SSHL) and it most likely is a result of the virus as well as my delay in seeing the doctor or specialist.

My hearing loss in my left ear is classified as "severe." If you walk up behind me on my left side, I won't hear you. If we are in a restaurant and you are anywhere but right next to me on my right side, I will most likely not hear you. My TV is turned up extra loud and if I am not paying attention, I will (and have) miss the verbal direction our worship leader gives when the band is supposed to repeat the chorus on a Sunday Morning Praise song.

The ringing is constant. Loud. And always there. And when I am really in the mood to bum myself out, I force myself to listen to it. How pathetic is that?

None of this will go away. In my case, the SSHL is permanent. And know what? It kinda sucks.

Okay, moving on to the topic--at my latest appointment with my specialist, we discussed the various possibilities of hearing aids. With my loss, the system that would work best is the BAHA system. It involves a minor procedure (you can click the link to see more if you care to know) and is a more permanent solution to my problem.

What is cool is that, before I make a decision to have my doctor drill a screw into my skull (oh wait, I said it-sorry,) I can TRY the device just by using it clipped onto a headband thing. The headband thing isn't cute and covered with polka dot fabric. And, it has a weird thing on one end that kind of pokes out and then has the device on the other end. I have noticed a difference. It is kind of cool to hear things clearly through my left ear. I have been wearing the headband and device all weekend.

So.....why am I avoiding Sunday?I don't want to wear the headband. I don't want to have to talk about it all morning at church. I don't want to have to tell and retell what is going on to people. People who dare to care about me. Love me even.

I could, of course, not wear it. That would be easy. But it also feels kind of hypocritical, you know? Not hypocritical just....not right. I hold a solution (or improvement) to my hearing loss in my hands and I choose not to use it?! How many ways is that wrong?

And how ridiculous is it that I am whining about this? And to you?!

I think this is one of those things where there are a whole LOT of emotions about this whole thing and I am choosing to focus all of those on one event. Maybe some time I will waste even more of your time blog about getting the BAHA "installed" vs. my constant prayer for a miraculous healing = a wavering in my faith?

If you made it to the end of this, thank you. You should get a medal. But I have better than a medal! I have a video of Jim Gaffigan talking about Hot Pockets. You're welcome.

Monday, October 05, 2009

David and Nathan usually rejoice with a similar "Yeah!" and Lucy squeeks while Ella just points and grunts (she is still a baby after all.) I get the scooper and open the bag while Nathan or Lucy help me get little plastic bowls for everyone.

Everyone usually gets 2-3 scoops. and the bowls are handed out. Only Ella's needs some removing of a few things that she can't quite chew yet.

We all sit at the table and crunch. and crunch. And talk (sometimes with our mouths full) and crunch. After a few minutes, it begins......

"Mommy, can I have your raisins?"

"Nathan, I will take all your cashews-I do not understand why you don't like them!"

"Daddy, Ella is saying 'More,' I think she wants more raisins."

"Lucy don't forget, no more M&M's for you, they are dairy. Want a bunch of my peanuts instead?"

"Daddy, can I have some of your--" "No, Daddy eats all the stuff in his."

We are a family of 5. Ella can only eat the raisins.Lucy eats the nuts and raisins.Nathan will eat peanuts and M&M's.Mommy eats everything BUT the raisins.Daddy eats it all.

It makes me smile how a bag of Trail Mix from Costco can bring our family together.